Schedule a Tour

The DEC Ambassador class of 2017

Entrepreneurship

December 4, 2017

We may be a little biased here at The Dallas Entrepreneur Center, but we feel like the luckiest organization in the DFW area (maybe even the world) for having over 2 months of concentrated time with our 2017 Ambassadors. For those of you who don’t know…

The Dallas Entrepreneur Center’s Ambassador Program is a volunteer network created to give individuals the ins and outs of working with startups, provide leadership opportunities for those wanting to help support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Dallas, and is a great networking tool to connect volunteers within the startup community. Volunteer ambassadors assist with promoting and educating the public about programs and offerings in the startup community.

The DEC’s Ambassador Program exists to give volunteers a crash course in the startup ecosystem. Every fall, Ambassadors cultivate a community amongst themselves and the entire staff at The DEC. Each week, our Ambassadors gather to learn about our various locations (The Dallas Entrepreneur Center, Red Bird Entrepreneur Center, and Addison Treehouse), as well as other leaders in the industry. Our goal is to create the next wave of startup community influencers. We accomplish this goal in a few ways.

One of our favorite aspects of the Ambassador Program is the annual Startup Crawl. We cannot stress enough to our Ambassadors the importance of collaboration! This year we were fortunate enough to be hosted by three incredible organizations: Health Wildcatters, DevMountain, and Dialexa. Each organization is unique, and each organization is making an incredible impact in their respective industries.

In addition to education, our Ambassadors are pushed to ACTION. The Ambassadors are split into various groups to complete a project, culminating in a final presentation to The DEC. Staff are given solutions to existing problems and next steps to get it done. This year our projects included:

Revive Fail, Learn Grow (FLG) - After seeing a spike in suicides among CEOs and upper level executives of startups, FLG was created by a previous Ambassador class to offer a safe place for entrepreneurs to talk about their struggles and failure. The DEC sees this as an incredibly valuable program as mental health is something to be considered and nurtured in the process of starting and growing a business.

Red Bird Engagement - As many of you know, The DEC will be opening a new location in the spring at Red Bird Mall. Our Executive Director, Michelle Williams, worked with a group of Ambassadors to create promotional material and figure out the best way to engage the surrounding community.

Ambassador Alumni Engagement - What happens after Ambassadors “graduate”? Our third project group created a game plan to keep our Ambassadors engaged - including the launch of an Ambassador Alumni Committee!

What would an Ambassador Program be without a graduation and party to celebrate?! We were beyond honored to graduate this year’s class and host a party at our neighbor Tutta’s. Each year the caliber of individuals who dedicate their time to The Dallas Entrepreneur Center multiplies. We can say from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!

“I really enjoyed getting to know all the participants in the 2017 Ambassador class. Being new to Texas, this was a great way for me to start the process of re-branding myself and my business. I also enjoyed working with Rachel and meeting the other community partners that contribute to the DFW ecosystem. Working on the Ambassador Re-Engagement committee was the perfect opportunity for us to be creative, innovative, and work hands on with The DEC staff to increase value for the program. It was a great experience for me, and I am looking forward to future engagements!” -Darlisa Diltz